Pastor at Dover Baptist Church in Goochland, VA.
Introduction: Many years ago, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, often called the "Prince of Preachers," wrote these words: “I could say with Job, ‘My soul chooseth strangling rather than life.’ I could readily enough have laid violent hands upon myself to escape from my misery of spirit.” Now, this was not a man who lacked... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:15-29 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A... Continue Reading →
The Arrival of the Magi and the Revelation of the True King (Matthew 2:1-12) This account begins “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king” (Matthew 2:1). As we saw two weeks ago when we examined the Christmas story, the Prophet Micah foretold that this is where Messiah... Continue Reading →
Luke 2:21-38 records the circumcision and naming of Jesus, as well as when the young Jesus was presented in the Temple. It also beautifully illustrates the theme of obedience to God’s law through faith. This passage reminds us that faith is not just about belief but about living in obedience to God. Like those in... Continue Reading →
Introduction Psalm 5 is a deeply personal lament in which David cries out to God for justice against his enemies while also expressing confidence in God’s righteousness and protection. This psalm highlights the themes of prayer, divine justice, the contrast between the wicked and the righteous, and the ultimate refuge found in God. The structure... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:19-34, ESV “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:5-15 ESV And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray,... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Welcome: Last week we saw how Jesus rightly interpreted the Law of God regarding adultery, divorce, and making oaths. In our last sermon we saw that all three of these laws were really about pursuing an integrity of the heart, not merely exterior obedience. Today, we’ll continue our journey through Jesus’ Sermon... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Introduction: For the past few weeks, we’ve been walking through the Sermon on the Mount, spending time reflecting on the Beatitudes. We’ve explored what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn over sin, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness; each building upon the other to shape us for a... Continue Reading →
Introduction: The Gospel of John stands apart from the other Gospel accounts. While the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) provide detailed historical narratives of Christ’s life and ministry, John’s Gospel focuses on the spiritual and theological significance of Christ’s identity and mission. Theologians like John Calvin have described John’s gospel as the “soul” of... Continue Reading →
hardincrowder.com 